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Grandpa's Banjo

Words and Music by Jim Bottorff - 2025

Verse:
F	C7	F	-
-	C7	F	-
Bb	C7	F	-
-	C7	F	-
Chorus:
Bb	-	F	C7
Bb	-	F	-
-	C7	F	- (to verse, chorus & bridge)
Bridge:
Bb	-	F	-
Bb	-	C7	-
Bb	-	F	-
-	C7	F	-    (to verse & chorus)

8-beat intro.  Play 4-beats for each cell, reading from left to right.

Play parts: Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Bridge, Verse, Chorus.

_______

 

Verses:

I found my granpa's banjo in the attic yesterday,
Dust on the strings, rust on the frets, still had something to say.
He used to play it on the porch when the sun was setting low,
Now I'm sitting in that same old chair, learning what he used to know.

 

Grandpa taught me three chords when I was just eight years old,
Said music don't come from your fingers, it comes from your soul.
I was too young then to understand what he meant,
Now I'm older and I feel every word that he said.

I'm teaching my daughter the same three chords tonight,
Her small fingers fumble but her eyes are bright.
She asks me why I'm crying when the music sounds so good,
I tell her someday she'll understand like I understood.

 

Chorus:

These hands aren't his hands, but they're learning his songs, The melody's linger and the feeling's still strong,
Every note that I pick brings him back to me,
Grandpa's banjo and me by the old pine tree.

 

Bridge:

The wood is worn smooth where his thumb used to rest,
I can almost hear his voice saying "do your best."
Some things you can't teach, they just have to be felt,
Like the love in this banjo that time never steals.

_______

 

Performer Links:

(webpage)

 

Watch Jim's AI video of  "Grandpa's Banjo" (youtube)

 

Listen to Jim's AI arrangement of  "Grandpa's Banjo" (mp3)

_______

 

Arranged by Jim Bottorff

 

This Chord Chart may not appear correctly with some browsers.  It should be viewed with a full size window.  

The chord names should appear in single rows.   Let me know of any problems.

email: jbott@ix.netcom.com